Sponsor: Tableau Software

A new implementation model, anchored by a real partnership between IT leaders and business users, calls for IT to own the center of operations, security and governance, data acquisition, maintenance and provisioning. In this paper, you’ll find an in-depth roadmap for scaling self-service reporting at your organization.

Read this report to learn about:

• New process for fast prototyping
• Clear enablement roles for IT
• Suggested workflows for new technology
• Nurturing a company wide culture of business analytics

The hallmark of a data-driven dashboard is the ability to see and understand data at the speed of thought. Well-planned dashboards will allow both business leaders and knowledge workers alike to ask and answer questions in real-time, turn insight into action and inspire true innovation.

In this whitepaper, you’ll learn about:

• How to connect all of your data to a dashboard—no matter where it lives

All good things must come to an end. Static data visualization had its time in the sun. Now, Aberdeen Group's research demonstrates the superior business performance of organizations that have taken their visuals to the next level.

Storytelling is a cornerstone of the human experience. The universe may be full of atoms, but it’s through stories that we truly construct our world. From Greek mythology to the Bible to television series like Cosmos, stories have been shaping our experience on Earth for as long as we’ve lived on it.

A key purpose of storytelling is not just understanding the world but changing it. After all, why would we study the world if we didn’t want to know how we can—and should— influence it?

For many, Excel is the go-to analysis tool of choice. As useful as it can be, for delivering real insight from big data, spreadsheets simply won’t provide all of the answers you seek. Read this whitepaper to learn five critical ways go beyond spreadsheets to get more from your data.

You’ve got data and you’ve got questions. Creating a chart or graph links the two, but sometimes you’re not sure which type of chart will get the answer you seek. This paper answers questions about how to select the best charts for the type of data you’re analyzing and the questions you want to answer.

The year 2015 was an important one in the world of big data. What used to be hype became the norm as more businesses realized that data, in all forms and sizes, is critical to making the best possible decisions. In 2016, we’ll see continued growth of systems that support non-relational or unstructured forms of data as well as massive volumes of data. These systems will evolve and mature to operate well inside of enterprise IT systems and standards. This will enable both business users and data scientists to fully realize the value of big data.

In 2015, the cloud technology landscape changed in ways that only a highly disruptive market can. From watershed innovation announcements to unexpected business moves, 2015 drove any last shred of doubt from the minds of skeptics that the cloud revolution is permanent. At the eye of this storm is the growing realization that data as a critical business asset can be very efficiently (and cost-effectively) stored in the cloud. The database, integration, and analytics markets are now in a race to understand how each can ultimately capitalize on this shift.

2015 was a year of significant change in the world of Business Intelligence. More organizations opened up data to their employees. And more people came to see data as an important tool to get their work done. Norms about Business Intelligence are evolving, and as they do, leading to wholesale cultural change at some workplaces. This change is driven not only by fast-moving technology, but also by new techniques to get value from data.

You made a visualization! Congratulations: you are part of a small but growing group that’s taking advantage of the power of visualization. However, bringing your visualizations from “good” to “great” takes time, patience and attention to detail. Luckily, we have compiled a short but important list of techniques to get you started. Happy visualizing!

Data is changing the conversation—in boardrooms, in the media, and in social media. People are visualizing their data to explore questions, uncover insights, and share stories with both data experts and non-experts alike. As data usage grows, even more people will turn to data with both professional and personal questions. And employers will look for candidates who can think critically with data. Visual analytics will serve as the common language, empowering people to reach insights quickly, collaborate meaningfully, and build a community around data.

The first layer of abstraction is the Connection. The Connection stores information about how to access the data and what data to make available to Tableau. The connection attributes for the database, the tables, views and columns to use, and any joins or custom SQL used to access the data. To support true ad hoc analysis, Tableau does not require that all fields, tables or joins be included in the initial connection. This allows users to get started with a simple connection and change it as needed to include more fields or tables.

Tableau helps people to see and understand data. Our software products put the power of data into the hands of everyday people. This allows a broad population of users to engage with their data,
ask questions, solve problems, and create value. Based on technology developed at Stanford University, our product reduces the complexity, inflexibility, and expense associated with traditional business intelligence applications. Anyone who is comfortable with Excel can leverage Tableau Desktop to create rich, interactive visualizations and powerful dashboards using a drag-and-drop user interface, as well as share them securely across organizations using Tableau Server or Tableau Online.